For those of you keen enough to notice that I put the Bose Color II backwards, here is another video of it for reference: ua-cam.com/video/QSPOEolV4Rc/v-deo.html I think you will see it's still not the best of the pack.
The color 2 has a microphone for speaker phone function. Why does no one note that or evaluate that function on a speaker? I thought it to be quite clever to have full speakerphone in your speaker. Especially for a family conference call or business. Thoughts?
@@CraziiDago -. It works good for me. Have not been able to get it to work for Skype or WhatsApp. My Kenwood an Pioneer Bluetooth stereos work for those apps... But currently this Bose does not with either tablet or phone. Phone calls on phone works great.
@@CraziiDago - I don't know. I put mine up on the dash of the truck and it works good. Some calls the audio is weak, but most calls it works well. I would be interested to see your unit and run some tests. I love a good mystery with electronics 😊👍
The Bose Flex is the best Bluetooth speaker on the market at this time period. It is a joy to listen to music that flows from it. Other speakers throw, push, shoot, and fire music at you, but the Flex exudes music. I have the Bose Portable Speaker and it costs almost four times more than the Flex but to me the Flex is far more superior in the manner that it reproduces music. The Portable Speaker is excellent no doubt, but the Flex is almost magical in the way that it performs.
I LOVE how you presented the sound comparison. Toggling back-and-forth every few seconds to really let my ear hear the full spectrum of differences. I wish more videos did this.
It’s still not a particularly effective way to compare speakers. That’s not to disparage the creator, it just is what it is. 90% of what you’re hearing is whatever you’re listening to the comparison on. For example crappy headphones or a phone speaker isn’t going to even physically be able to represent half the frequencies you’d even care about when choosing a speaker. My only point is that you should try to actually listen to speakers personally when possible if comparing.
Can’t thank you enough for helping me make up my mind today. I can’t believe how many reviewers never even give a sound test and rather they chatter on for 4+ minutes, but you sir have made reviews that are thorough, honest, and quite worthy of attention.
Was introduced to Bose approx. 40+ yrs. back & practically fell in love w/volume & clarity. But could only afford to purchase one about 20-25yrs. back. But have no complaints! About >2yrs., ago, introduced 6 y/o grand-nephew to Bose via Micro.....And he loves it!
My Bose Soundlink 3 is the best portable speaker I’ve ever bought. They stopped making them but there’s still some online. As a music lover I guarantee it! 💯💯💯
Flex Flex Flex. I normally find Bose speakers fine, I have had a few of them in the past. The Flex is absolutely amazing. Just try it on a low volume and you will see how good it sounds. My wife bought it for my birthday, and I guess you could say I am a lucky person.
I was trying out the Flex and the Revolve 2 yesterday and I found that the Revolve 2 has a clearer sound, the instruments and the voice sounds more realistic. So I need to dissagree here, the Flex is not bad, but has too many bass that you can feel whatewer genre your listening to. So I bought the Revolve 2.
When he said jbl over bose, i knew his ears weren’t serving him well. I picked up the color once and heard of things i never heard before on songs i played for years. It took those speakers to bring those sounds out. Bose may seem culty, but if you’re ears aren’t refined with good taste, dont act like you know good quality. This guy was talking about specs too. I’m thinking the newer lineup is a byproduct of inflation.
You just helped me make a decision I've been debating for the last 2 weeks. I had a ColorLink that finally crapped out, I loved it... used it tons & never had an issue until it finally died. So, I've been debating on a replacement and Flex kept catching my eye, but I kept going back to the ColorLink because that's what I know. Thanks to this review, gonna go out on a limb and give Flex a try. Thanks!
Really appreciated the comparisons between the speakers. Was having a hard time deciding between the Revolve+ and the Flex and you pretty much resolved that for me completely.
I've owned the Soundlink Color II for five years and used the hell out of it. It was quirky sometimes with connectivity and power-on issues, but overall I loved it. I never got eight hours of battery life between charges. Said battery is now on its last legs so I just purchased the Soundlink Flex. Holy moly. I cannot believe the upgrade in sound quality. The bass is truly impressive, and the overall sound is significantly improved over the Color II. It also charges much faster. And so far no connectivity issues. It's a great speaker.
Meandering through Target, I see the Flex and put on the demo. Blown away by the sound I bought it on the spot. Bluetooth works flawless as on other Bose products. One negative is that it sometimes doesn’t stay standing and rolls onto its back. Very pleased with this purchase. It actually fits in my jeans back pocket and fills my bubble with great sound. Plus if you want to keep it protected, all you need is a mismatched sock. Fits perfect.
These are four mighty boys. I haven't hear the micro by myself. I am not an audiophile and my opinion is just from a regular listening. The soundcolor 2 is a bit muffled, but still nice to listen. The revolve and the flex are very open and clear. If you mixed them in stereo mode, you will rock the party.
Thanks Danny, GREAT post! Extremely helpful with the sound comparisons. For me, the Revolve 2 + offered the best sound profile for classical music and jazz. Crisp, clean..you can hear every note. Reminded me of the legendary Bose 901 speakers. During 2024 Amazon Prime Days found a GREAT deal on the Revolve 2 +…$195 including shipping. Grabbed it along with the charging cradle! . The Flex does offer a very good overall balance of sound, but would not preform as well as the Revolve for classical/jazz music. I have an old Bose Micro, which still works great, however is much heavier/fuller with respect to bass. If you are looking for a party speaker that is heavy on bass, the Revolve 2+ is NOT for you. Also love the design esthetics…it now sits proudly in my kitchen. Thanks again for the great post!
I love ALL of my Bose products. I have the surround, the flex and the micro as well as a non blue tooth headset and a bluetooth high end headset and even the lighter over ear ones, and the quiet ear buds. I am a Bose fan. I love that the micro does a great job for a small speaker and when I carry my computer to my living room desk or the kitchen to watch UA-cam when I cook, the micro is easy to carry back and forth. I'm having pairing issues with my Flex now. I may have to delete it and have it found again to pair. It's a little bulky to carry around.
I owned both the Color Soundlink II and Micro Soundlink and love them all. The Soundlink by each own would be not really impressed but you forgot one thing that they could pair up together to be the stereo and the sound would be much more better. Meanwhile I used the Color SL for my office desk pair with Mac Mini and it is awsome too. Havent tried the Flex yet but still satisfy with all current Bose. And last but not least, I have tried all the JBL or some other brands but still not match with Bose honestly.
Such a shame that Bose doesn't provide Soundtouch 10, 20, 30 & Wave speakers any longer. I have a pair of 10s linked to a 20. The sound is absolutely amazing. All paired perfectly with the Soundtouch app.
Bose Revolve+ contines to be my to go speaker. I have 3 of the 4 speakers shown here, the revolve is a lot better than the flex in my opinion - yes older technology, but it still sounds amazing and it fills the room better - it sounds the same anywhere you stand. Anyways, with that being said both speaker are great - You really can't go wrong with any of those 2.
You are so right. I listened to all of these at Best Buy and the Flex was easily the best of all of them. Plus it had a speakerphone option which the UE Boom 3 did not have which I returned immediately and replaced with this Bose Flex for only $20 more. So happy with this speaker!
I have Bose products everywhere in my home, I love the brand. I recently purchased the Flex and am totally bowled over with it. The sound is amazing. Also, another company make a hard and colour matching carry case which is very good and reasonably priced
Have the mini (I like for the size and sound quality for such a small speaker), Color II (wouldn't consider it to be of "Bose Quality") - I returned / exchanged for a 2nd Flex (great sound, decent price). I party-mode in stereo, the 2 Flex speakers to watch movies with = much less expensive than a comparable sound bar.
Great video! I played it listening through my Bose Revolve Plus and Bose SoundLink Flex in Party Mode! They are amazing when they are connected, and you can have the same music in different rooms
The BEST Bose Bluetooth speaker I've ever bought was the Soundlink 3 Bluetooth Speaker!! It's old but gold! The BEST computer speakers were the Companion 20! Sadly, both products have been discontinued.
I have become a huge fan of the Soundlink Flex also. My primary use of Bluetooth speakers is for music while cycling and the Soundlink flex straps to my hybrid bike handlebars and provides excellent sound with quality for miles. It is also easier to charge it with the new USB-C charging standard than with Micro-USB used on other speakers. Micro USB cables give out sooner. Cycling is actually one reason that the Soundlink Micro is popular. If you have a road bike, the Micro straps onto the handlebar more effectively than the larger better sounding Flex. For both speakers, if music is important to you or other verbal information, you can put a 20,000-40,000 mah USB power pack in a water bottle holder and run a cable up to the speaker on your handlebar so that you can keep the sounds going for many hours on a 50, 100, or as I did recently, a 200 mile bike ride{ I rode to Cincinnati from Columbus and most of the way back}. There is a speaker similar to the Bose Soundlink Micro that is actually better, however. That speaker is the Tribit Stormbox Micro, nearly the exact same form factor with strap for your handlebar, it uses USB-C instead of MicroUSB and it is actually a bit louder and better sounding than the Micro, plus it is less expensive $59-$79{sometimes less} instead of $99 . The telephony features work better too, I find that on Bose Speakers, even if paired for phone calls and contact synch that they will sometimes still route the calls to your phone instead of the speaker especially on Android devices.
@@benjiej1380 the issue with your suggestion is that headsets and earbuds are actually considered unsafe and indeed illegal in many jurisdictions for cyclists to use much as they are for motor vehicle drivers. However you note most cars have radios and stereos for drivers to listen to . Those of us on two wheels who pedal across town or even a distance across a US state listen to music or radio programming content on the road or on cycling trails too. Key is to hold it down or actually turn it off on a group ride or if you end up joining a peloton who may not "like your crappy music {their opinion} " while you are riding with them. However, on a solo ride, no one else hears your music to be disturbed for a significant time unless they catch up to you to pass or you catch them. If they catch up to you, they are fast enough to keep on going after "On your left" and get out of the range of your speaker., Likewise, if I'm passing {not often in my case my pace is 10 mph average} then I will get by you and you won't have to hear it. 30 seconds max. I will turn it off if I match your pace to ride with you. But if passing or getting passed and you are still bothered, I think it is fair to call "tough tomatos" . You hear cars, motorcycles, railroad trains, helicopters, semi trucks buses and man's best friend {barking---Ruff! Ruff!} for longer than 30 seconds of a solo rider's bluetooth speaker.
I've watched a lot of your videos. Your reviews are awesome! I've had several Bose speakers over the years. My first really good listen when it came to Bose was through a co-worker. He had and as far as I know, still has a Bose Soundlink Color 1st gen. I was blown away by how clear it was. Eventually, I got one. Hard times hit and I had to sell the two blue 1st gens I had. I have a Mint one now, but the battery won't take a charge anymore, so at some point, I'll have to replace the battery. At one point, I had a 2nd gen Soundlink Color, but I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as I was the 1st gens. I have a Soundlink Mini 1st gen, which has the same battery problem. I've had a couple Wave radios and have one of the 1st Acoustic Wave radios. I kept hearing about the Soundlink Flex and I felt like I should try it. Out of every Bose product I've had, the Flex puts them all to shame. It's well-rounded in every way. I'm not a Bose fanboy either, but I will admit, when they get it right, you can tell the difference. I also had a 1st gen Marshall Emberton. Foolishly sold it. About to try to get a new 1st gen in the Forest Green color. That one is a great bluetooth speaker. Great sound comparison in this video! Keep up the great work!
The problem I have with your choice is that the flex is limited to just firing forward..yeah you can lay it on its back to (attempt) to do 360sound but in reality its just firing at the ceiling and that's about it..to as the revolve+ is actually designed to give you true 360 sound..sure revolve plus is mire but the way it fills the room everywhere with equal sound the flex falls way short of the revolve+..with the revolve+ its like having multiple speakers throughout the room so in reality well worth the extra money.
Spot on review the flex is a game changer finally the micro needs a serious upgrade to keep up with the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 the color one I think sounds better than the 2 but the FLEX IS THE BEST CHOICE GREAT VIDEO
Great review, my friend brings the micro on bike rides and you can talk over it, it has decent sound for low volume applications. If you want blasting tunes the Flex for sure. Thank you
Thank you Danny for this great review. I completely agree with you! The Flex is the best sounding quality and the other 3 is meh in terms of their price....!
My Bose revolve plus still holds strong after 5 years, it’s visibly scuffed, but I love it for music and mainly audiobooks. Its old and I’d love to replace it, but I grew fond of the handle and form factor and dont know what to replace it with.
I think that the Sound Color Link II technology dates back to 2014-2015. That was when I first bought the very first Sound Color Link. Then, around 2017, they issued the Color Link II was issued. It just introduced connectivity via Bose app and the new water resistant case. For the rest it was pretty much the same.
Just going to say I bought two JBL's which each died within a year... each cost 120$+ and I bought the Micro Bose for 89$ on sale, and have had it working for two yeas now, and can bring it in the shower or near the pool without fear. So idk if people should choose the JBL.... Anyway, thanls for the review!
My flip is only. Two years old but so is my Color II, and that’s just how. Long I have had it, it was pre owned by someone for two-three years before me. Yet it still better than the flip. Heck, my Color I sounds better than the flip. No comparison in my opinion, especially when they are in party mode, both the I and the II. But, I like deeper fuller sounds, and the Color is rich. There’s a I’d of a loss on the high end, yes, but the flip is worse, and doesn’t have the deep low end. Both of them however have stunned me with battery life. You said 7-8 hours for the Color II, but I have listened to it for almost a full day and night,, shy a couple hours, however it didn’t even have a full charge at the time. It was at high, but still made it so long even though it was a few years second hand. So, maybe you just ended up with crap batteries by coincidence. The flip, I listened to for more than half the day, as in more than 12 hours, but then forgot to turn it off and it stayed on for another day and a half before running out. Startled the crap out of me attune time too.
Good review I agree with the Flex review. The micro, no the JBL Mickey Mouse speaker is not better so that was a bit biased and typical of bose hatred. Soundlink color was facing the wrong way so that alone is miseducation on the product.
Before I say anything else. I have to say in terms of us hearing sound quality. Yea we aren't going to get the same as you the uploader of this vid did. I myself for one week and you probably got it for 149.99 or roughly equal to it if not in USD, have the flex soundlink and brought it for 129.99 and yes in total agreement with ya on quality of it. Before I brought it tho did within store test them all in what they had both in jbl and Bose. I'm also hard of hearing and use hearing aid, so had to listen to each one more than once and at least for 1 minute. Was impressed with the SoundLink consistently when I tried them all at time limit of 1 min out of three times. Highly suggest it myself for anyone else. People around me are to.
Very clear decision you made. Thank you. I have a question though, can we play music from some other non-blutooth enabled device using 3.5mm jack to USB C convertor on Flex?
Bose Color II is notorious for charging problems, causing the entire unit to shut down and not charge. Check out you tube videos for reset instructions.
After watching your review I went to Best Buy. Listen to everything they had,, ended up buying the JBL Xtreme 3 I did give the Bose flex a listen and I got to say that the JBL blew it out of the water. Not only that but the Bose flex looks like some old transistor radio that your grandfather had. Maybe that's what they're going for😂
I know this is probably beating a dead horse here but in regards to your reviews of the Bose speakers, I have to say the Bose color 2 may not be as dynamic or “new” as the Bose Flex or other products you’ve reviewed, the Color 2 in my opinion shows significant merit in Durability. I’ve had mine since 2017, and it is used at work 5 days/week on a forklift anywhere from 8 to 16 hours per day in conjunction with a 6AH Milwaukee battery and shows no wear whatsoever. I was surprised how boring you felt it sounded as you have reviewed so many. When I bring my Color 2 out for get-togethers on the weekends I always get interested complimentary praise on how nice it sounds. The only maintenance I’ve had to do to it was clean the USB port with WD-40. The thing won’t die-lol Anyway although I’m thinking of getting another Bose color 2 for linked stereo, however, your review of the Bose Flex has got me thinking of taking a chance in a different direction. Thanks for the review, great content.
Yeah I mean there's nothing wrong with it, but just my opinion about what stirs me. I have no doubt that real world experiences like you're sharing are also valid :)
@@DannyPops just picked up the Bose Flex direct from Bose (Factory Renewed) plus additional 10% discount through Rakuten for $99. I’ll give it a try…looks like I’ll be able to pair both Bose to get Stereo maybe according to Bose. Thanks again👍
I think if Bose can change the flex design into big longer n slim n I will go for flex slim ! 😅 I hv tried revolve II n mini n I always amaze of what Bose speaker sounds really clear n great speakers with the look n quality! 6:05
U r 99% right except for the bose micro part. I have nearly all micro portable speaker n i can say nothing.. nothing comes close to the bose micro. although the jbl is cheaper, the bass is nothing compared to the bose micro. The boss micro is the only micro speaker that produces bigger speaker bass. 👍
I have FOUGHT buying Bose for years. The Tribit, Anker Soundcore Flare (paired), Oontz Angled (paired) much cheaper and can be EQd to get close to the sound quality of a Bose mini. But then I tried the Flex, bought one loved it. Read reviews where pairing was an issue, took a chance and they pair fine, PITA when you turn them off, they do not remember stereo pairing. Sound is superb for the size and cost, really good! Volume is louder than I thought they would be, maxes out on sound quality at about 80-ish%. Paired, plenty loud, no lag time. $129 per as of 7-26-23.
Hey Danny, first off big fan of your content. Been watching for quite some time. My first Bose product was the micro and I absolutely loved that thing, then I had the revolve and was not impressed. Bose had (has?) a trade in program that I sent in the first Revolve for and I got a pair of the Revolve Plus ll’s due to a shipping error on their end. Also not impressed for the insane $330 retail.. Sounded pretty sharp with Greta Van Fleets ‘Heat Above’ if you placed them against a wall on a counter, but not as good as a $660 pair of speakers should sound. Now I have the Flex thanks to your recommendation and I don’t see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. You should mention with the Flex how the sound changes when you place it on its back. I think it’s better but it’s certainly more of a classic ‘V’ sound when lying flat. I know this comments long but one final thing. I don’t know where your mic is placed but in all the videos with the soundlink color ll it has been facing the wrong way from the viewers perspective. The rear small vent is a bass radiator. Keep up the great work!
Dude thank you for the detailed feedback and I'm honored you watch my random videos! That's the best feedback on the color, I had no idea! I think people will definitely be able to read your comment and get the additional insight, thats what this is all about!
No they dont read the comment. Everyone : Spot on Review - best review - like your honest Review….. but what is Test if the best speaker is Turned in the wrong direction. Iam Not a Bose Fan , but the soundlink Color is the best speaker in Terms of fidelity, the others all have a extreme V-Shape. Maybe in the Store or for the average Consumer it Sounds Bettler at First. Yes, the color has also a Heavy loudness but its Not so harsh on the highs. The Sad Truth is that all new Models have only a higher EQ , but at soundquality they get worse if neewer. So your Video States the opposite. Maybe you consider to repeat the Test with all speakers in the Same direction. (Sorry for my english, Not my native Language)
I listened to the entire Bose lineup at BestBuy. These were "fine", but the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $400 had sound an entire level above everything else in the size class. You had to get up to the really large speakers to compete with it. Great sound stage and bass for its size.
Well…come on….that’s like comparing a $700 iPad to a $125 Kindle….and yeah…one is much better…and actually in a totally different class… …(both still portable just like the speaker you mention)…but the price is totally out of the ballpark for what people are looking to spend on this class of device.
I just bought the Soundcore mini3 pros and I love them. Depending on how you position them they sound great! Paid $39.99 for 2 at the Anker outlet store
The FLEX IS AMAZING 8 DONT HAVE THE REVOLVE BUT HAVE THE OTHERS THEIR NOT BAS THE TRIBIT STORMBOX MICRO 2 is much better at half the price. The FLEX IS OUTSTANDING. GREAT VIDEO THANKS.
For those of you keen enough to notice that I put the Bose Color II backwards, here is another video of it for reference: ua-cam.com/video/QSPOEolV4Rc/v-deo.html I think you will see it's still not the best of the pack.
Yeah why?
The color 2 has a microphone for speaker phone function. Why does no one note that or evaluate that function on a speaker? I thought it to be quite clever to have full speakerphone in your speaker. Especially for a family conference call or business. Thoughts?
@@KlodFather I've never had people been able to hear me on it for some reason?
@@CraziiDago -. It works good for me. Have not been able to get it to work for Skype or WhatsApp. My Kenwood an Pioneer Bluetooth stereos work for those apps... But currently this Bose does not with either tablet or phone. Phone calls on phone works great.
@@CraziiDago - I don't know. I put mine up on the dash of the truck and it works good. Some calls the audio is weak, but most calls it works well. I would be interested to see your unit and run some tests. I love a good mystery with electronics 😊👍
The Bose Flex is the best Bluetooth speaker on the market at this time period. It is a joy to listen to music that flows from it. Other speakers throw, push, shoot, and fire music at you, but the Flex exudes music. I have the Bose Portable Speaker and it costs almost four times more than the Flex but to me the Flex is far more superior in the manner that it reproduces music. The Portable Speaker is excellent no doubt, but the Flex is almost magical in the way that it performs.
Is the flex voice control like Alexa?
@@ashleyphillips5922 No.
It's a Bose though
Great description
This is basically how I felt when I first got mine. Even still it impresses me. Im going to get a second one for stereo😏
I LOVE how you presented the sound comparison. Toggling back-and-forth every few seconds to really let my ear hear the full spectrum of differences. I wish more videos did this.
It’s still not a particularly effective way to compare speakers. That’s not to disparage the creator, it just is what it is. 90% of what you’re hearing is whatever you’re listening to the comparison on. For example crappy headphones or a phone speaker isn’t going to even physically be able to represent half the frequencies you’d even care about when choosing a speaker. My only point is that you should try to actually listen to speakers personally when possible if comparing.
Can’t thank you enough for helping me make up my mind today. I can’t believe how many reviewers never even give a sound test and rather they chatter on for 4+ minutes, but you sir have made reviews that are thorough, honest, and quite worthy of attention.
wow thank you! That's very kind of you to say!
Was introduced to Bose approx. 40+ yrs. back & practically fell in love w/volume & clarity. But could only afford to purchase one about 20-25yrs. back. But have no complaints! About >2yrs., ago, introduced 6 y/o grand-nephew to Bose via Micro.....And he loves it!
My Bose Soundlink 3 is the best portable speaker I’ve ever bought. They stopped making them but there’s still some online. As a music lover I guarantee it! 💯💯💯
Dude! Thank u, no BS = TO THE POINT. NO fluff. So clear, concise. Loved the vid man!
Flex Flex Flex.
I normally find Bose speakers fine, I have had a few of them in the past. The Flex is absolutely amazing. Just try it on a low volume and you will see how good it sounds. My wife bought it for my birthday, and I guess you could say I am a lucky person.
I was trying out the Flex and the Revolve 2 yesterday and I found that the Revolve 2 has a clearer sound, the instruments and the voice sounds more realistic. So I need to dissagree here, the Flex is not bad, but has too many bass that you can feel whatewer genre your listening to. So I bought the Revolve 2.
When he said jbl over bose, i knew his ears weren’t serving him well. I picked up the color once and heard of things i never heard before on songs i played for years. It took those speakers to bring those sounds out. Bose may seem culty, but if you’re ears aren’t refined with good taste, dont act like you know good quality. This guy was talking about specs too. I’m thinking the newer lineup is a byproduct of inflation.
You just helped me make a decision I've been debating for the last 2 weeks. I had a ColorLink that finally crapped out, I loved it... used it tons & never had an issue until it finally died. So, I've been debating on a replacement and Flex kept catching my eye, but I kept going back to the ColorLink because that's what I know. Thanks to this review, gonna go out on a limb and give Flex a try. Thanks!
There are tricks that get them to work again, depending what happened, my color 2 had to be reset like once every 6 months, annoying
Really appreciated the comparisons between the speakers. Was having a hard time deciding between the Revolve+ and the Flex and you pretty much resolved that for me completely.
so, your con?
@@user-mf3pb3dy8e bro
I've owned the Soundlink Color II for five years and used the hell out of it. It was quirky sometimes with connectivity and power-on issues, but overall I loved it. I never got eight hours of battery life between charges. Said battery is now on its last legs so I just purchased the Soundlink Flex. Holy moly. I cannot believe the upgrade in sound quality. The bass is truly impressive, and the overall sound is significantly improved over the Color II. It also charges much faster. And so far no connectivity issues. It's a great speaker.
Meandering through Target, I see the Flex and put on the demo. Blown away by the sound I bought it on the spot. Bluetooth works flawless as on other Bose products. One negative is that it sometimes doesn’t stay standing and rolls onto its back. Very pleased with this purchase. It actually fits in my jeans back pocket and fills my bubble with great sound. Plus if you want to keep it protected, all you need is a mismatched sock. Fits perfect.
Did the exact same thing at my target, saw it, hit the demo and bought immediately
My favorites are the Flex and the Soundlink Plus.
And yes, I've tried them all.
These are four mighty boys. I haven't hear the micro by myself. I am not an audiophile and my opinion is just from a regular listening. The soundcolor 2 is a bit muffled, but still nice to listen. The revolve and the flex are very open and clear. If you mixed them in stereo mode, you will rock the party.
Thanks Danny, GREAT post! Extremely helpful with the sound comparisons. For me, the Revolve 2 + offered the best sound profile for classical music and jazz. Crisp, clean..you can hear every note. Reminded me of the legendary Bose 901 speakers. During 2024 Amazon Prime Days found a GREAT deal on the Revolve 2 +…$195 including shipping. Grabbed it along with the charging cradle! . The Flex does offer a very good overall balance of sound, but would not preform as well as the Revolve for classical/jazz music. I have an old Bose Micro, which still works great, however is much heavier/fuller with respect to bass. If you are looking for a party speaker that is heavy on bass, the Revolve 2+ is NOT for you. Also love the design esthetics…it now sits proudly in my kitchen. Thanks again for the great post!
I love ALL of my Bose products. I have the surround, the flex and the micro as well as a non blue tooth headset and a bluetooth high end headset and even the lighter over ear ones, and the quiet ear buds. I am a Bose fan. I love that the micro does a great job for a small speaker and when I carry my computer to my living room desk or the kitchen to watch UA-cam when I cook, the micro is easy to carry back and forth. I'm having pairing issues with my Flex now. I may have to delete it and have it found again to pair. It's a little bulky to carry around.
THANK YOU! So refreshing to have someone do a review with an actual conclusive thought!
I owned both the Color Soundlink II and Micro Soundlink and love them all. The Soundlink by each own would be not really impressed but you forgot one thing that they could pair up together to be the stereo and the sound would be much more better. Meanwhile I used the Color SL for my office desk pair with Mac Mini and it is awsome too. Havent tried the Flex yet but still satisfy with all current Bose. And last but not least, I have tried all the JBL or some other brands but still not match with Bose honestly.
Such a shame that Bose doesn't provide Soundtouch 10, 20, 30 & Wave speakers any longer.
I have a pair of 10s linked to a 20. The sound is absolutely amazing. All paired perfectly with the Soundtouch app.
Bose Revolve+ contines to be my to go speaker. I have 3 of the 4 speakers shown here, the revolve is a lot better than the flex in my opinion - yes older technology, but it still sounds amazing and it fills the room better - it sounds the same anywhere you stand. Anyways, with that being said both speaker are great - You really can't go wrong with any of those 2.
You are so right. I listened to all of these at Best Buy and the Flex was easily the best of all of them. Plus it had a speakerphone option which the UE Boom 3 did not have which I returned immediately and replaced with this Bose Flex for only $20 more. So happy with this speaker!
I have Bose products everywhere in my home, I love the brand. I recently purchased the Flex and am totally bowled over with it. The sound is amazing. Also, another company make a hard and colour matching carry case which is very good and reasonably priced
Have the mini (I like for the size and sound quality for such a small speaker), Color II (wouldn't consider it to be of "Bose Quality") - I returned / exchanged for a 2nd Flex (great sound, decent price). I party-mode in stereo, the 2 Flex speakers to watch movies with = much less expensive than a comparable sound bar.
Totally agreed with you, I bought the flex for a gift and my friend was very very happy with the speaker. 👊🏻👍🏻 very good review, thanks.
Heck yeah lalo. thanks for sharing :)
Great video! I played it listening through my Bose Revolve Plus and Bose SoundLink Flex in Party Mode! They are amazing when they are connected, and you can have the same music in different rooms
The BEST Bose Bluetooth speaker I've ever bought was the Soundlink 3 Bluetooth Speaker!! It's old but gold! The BEST computer speakers were the Companion 20! Sadly, both products have been discontinued.
I have become a huge fan of the Soundlink Flex also. My primary use of Bluetooth speakers is for music while cycling and the Soundlink flex straps to my hybrid bike handlebars and provides excellent sound with quality for miles. It is also easier to charge it with the new USB-C charging standard than with Micro-USB used on other speakers. Micro USB cables give out sooner. Cycling is actually one reason that the Soundlink Micro is popular. If you have a road bike, the Micro straps onto the handlebar more effectively than the larger better sounding Flex. For both speakers, if music is important to you or other verbal information, you can put a 20,000-40,000 mah USB power pack in a water bottle holder and run a cable up to the speaker on your handlebar so that you can keep the sounds going for many hours on a 50, 100, or as I did recently, a 200 mile bike ride{ I rode to Cincinnati from Columbus and most of the way back}. There is a speaker similar to the Bose Soundlink Micro that is actually better, however. That speaker is the Tribit Stormbox Micro, nearly the exact same form factor with strap for your handlebar, it uses USB-C instead of MicroUSB and it is actually a bit louder and better sounding than the Micro, plus it is less expensive $59-$79{sometimes less} instead of $99 . The telephony features work better too, I find that on Bose Speakers, even if paired for phone calls and contact synch that they will sometimes still route the calls to your phone instead of the speaker especially on Android devices.
Thank you for your insight. I’m looking for a Bluetooth speaker specifically for my E-bike. The Flex sounds perfect for what I need.
Don't bother others with your music when you are biking,, use earbuds instead!!
@@benjiej1380 the issue with your suggestion is that headsets and earbuds are actually considered unsafe and indeed illegal in many jurisdictions for cyclists to use much as they are for motor vehicle drivers. However you note most cars have radios and stereos for drivers to listen to . Those of us on two wheels who pedal across town or even a distance across a US state listen to music or radio programming content on the road or on cycling trails too. Key is to hold it down or actually turn it off on a group ride or if you end up joining a peloton who may not "like your crappy music {their opinion} " while you are riding with them. However, on a solo ride, no one else hears your music to be disturbed for a significant time unless they catch up to you to pass or you catch them. If they catch up to you, they are fast enough to keep on going after "On your left" and get out of the range of your speaker., Likewise, if I'm passing {not often in my case my pace is 10 mph average} then I will get by you and you won't have to hear it. 30 seconds max. I will turn it off if I match your pace to ride with you. But if passing or getting passed and you are still bothered, I think it is fair to call "tough tomatos" . You hear cars, motorcycles, railroad trains, helicopters, semi trucks buses and man's best friend {barking---Ruff! Ruff!} for longer than 30 seconds of a solo rider's bluetooth speaker.
Thank you so much for making this video. It really helped me choose which speaker to buy for this summer! 👍
I've owned the Flex for a few months now and could not be happier.
I have been using Sound Flex for long. tried with all kind of music.. it’s a no-brainer speaker.. mid low and high, at levels just perfectly balanced
yes I tested all in-store and the Bose Soundlink Flex is the best
Thank you Danny! I have flex and sure did I agree with you.
Yeah, you should listen to Bose soundlink revolve plus in stereopair...That sounded really good to me.
You’re crazy. Every one of those Bose speakers are awesome incredible speakers amazing sound. I know I have them.
I've watched a lot of your videos. Your reviews are awesome! I've had several Bose speakers over the years. My first really good listen when it came to Bose was through a co-worker. He had and as far as I know, still has a Bose Soundlink Color 1st gen. I was blown away by how clear it was. Eventually, I got one. Hard times hit and I had to sell the two blue 1st gens I had. I have a Mint one now, but the battery won't take a charge anymore, so at some point, I'll have to replace the battery. At one point, I had a 2nd gen Soundlink Color, but I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as I was the 1st gens. I have a Soundlink Mini 1st gen, which has the same battery problem. I've had a couple Wave radios and have one of the 1st Acoustic Wave radios. I kept hearing about the Soundlink Flex and I felt like I should try it. Out of every Bose product I've had, the Flex puts them all to shame. It's well-rounded in every way. I'm not a Bose fanboy either, but I will admit, when they get it right, you can tell the difference. I also had a 1st gen Marshall Emberton. Foolishly sold it. About to try to get a new 1st gen in the Forest Green color. That one is a great bluetooth speaker. Great sound comparison in this video! Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much Tommy! The flex is a seriously game changing speaker and still gets me pumped when I use it.
Why do you have the sound link colour facing backwards? Of course it will sound worse facing backwards that’s where the passive radiator is
The problem I have with your choice is that the flex is limited to just firing forward..yeah you can lay it on its back to (attempt) to do 360sound but in reality its just firing at the ceiling and that's about it..to as the revolve+ is actually designed to give you true 360 sound..sure revolve plus is mire but the way it fills the room everywhere with equal sound the flex falls way short of the revolve+..with the revolve+ its like having multiple speakers throughout the room so in reality well worth the extra money.
Did anyone else think the revolve (the pop can or lantern shape speaker) have better bass than the others? Thoughts?
Spot on review the flex is a game changer finally the micro needs a serious upgrade to keep up with the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 the color one I think sounds better than the 2 but the FLEX IS THE BEST CHOICE GREAT VIDEO
a pair of Soundlink Flex in stereo-mode in my living room, it's HEAVEN ! believe me.. worth every f***ing penny ! 🤗
Thanks for sharing!!! Yeah that's gotta sound so freaking good.
I agree. The flex is very clean sounding
Great review, my friend brings the micro on bike rides and you can talk over it, it has decent sound for low volume applications. If you want blasting tunes the Flex for sure. Thank you
Bose evolve plus 2 has very good sound. Put it some feet away and it is magic.
Exactly what i needed. Thanks!
Bruh which is better Marshall emberton or Bose flex
Thank you so much I was in the market and you made it so much easier.
Thank you Danny for this great review. I completely agree with you! The Flex is the best sounding quality and the other 3 is meh in terms of their price....!
Quite possibly one of the best and most useful reviews ever.
My Bose revolve plus still holds strong after 5 years, it’s visibly scuffed, but I love it for music and mainly audiobooks. Its old and I’d love to replace it, but I grew fond of the handle and form factor and dont know what to replace it with.
I went with the flex and it's outstanding. Absolutely sorcery to produce the sound quality it does
I've had the Color2 for more than a year and I absolutely love it.
This is such an honest review. Thanks Dan.
Great vid! Not too long and has the information I needed to hear.
I think that the Sound Color Link II technology dates back to 2014-2015. That was when I first bought the very first Sound Color Link. Then, around 2017, they issued the Color Link II was issued. It just introduced connectivity via Bose app and the new water resistant case. For the rest it was pretty much the same.
Gracias por la comparación y saludos desde Bolivia 🇧🇴
Love the sound test!! Thank you ^_^ Keep up this video format/formula if you focus on reviewing audio products - it's a winner :)
Just going to say I bought two JBL's which each died within a year... each cost 120$+ and I bought the Micro Bose for 89$ on sale, and have had it working for two yeas now, and can bring it in the shower or near the pool without fear. So idk if people should choose the JBL.... Anyway, thanls for the review!
That's horrible!! Mine are still going strong, but jeeze.
My flip is only. Two years old but so is my Color II, and that’s just how. Long I have had it, it was pre owned by someone for two-three years before me. Yet it still better than the flip. Heck, my Color I sounds better than the flip. No comparison in my opinion, especially when they are in party mode, both the I and the II. But, I like deeper fuller sounds, and the Color is rich. There’s a I’d of a loss on the high end, yes, but the flip is worse, and doesn’t have the deep low end. Both of them however have stunned me with battery life. You said 7-8 hours for the Color II, but I have listened to it for almost a full day and night,, shy a couple hours, however it didn’t even have a full charge at the time. It was at high, but still made it so long even though it was a few years second hand. So, maybe you just ended up with crap batteries by coincidence. The flip, I listened to for more than half the day, as in more than 12 hours, but then forgot to turn it off and it stayed on for another day and a half before running out. Startled the crap out of me attune time too.
Thank you for your honesty as I was about to ask for the expensive one for Christmas:)
Thanks for this good comparison with no extra fluff.
Most helpful review! Thanks! ❤
Good review I agree with the Flex review. The micro, no the JBL Mickey Mouse speaker is not better so that was a bit biased and typical of bose hatred. Soundlink color was facing the wrong way so that alone is miseducation on the product.
Before I say anything else. I have to say in terms of us hearing sound quality. Yea we aren't going to get the same as you the uploader of this vid did. I myself for one week and you probably got it for 149.99 or roughly equal to it if not in USD, have the flex soundlink and brought it for 129.99 and yes in total agreement with ya on quality of it. Before I brought it tho did within store test them all in what they had both in jbl and Bose. I'm also hard of hearing and use hearing aid, so had to listen to each one more than once and at least for 1 minute. Was impressed with the SoundLink consistently when I tried them all at time limit of 1 min out of three times. Highly suggest it myself for anyone else. People around me are to.
Thank you for this. One of the main thing I like about the micro is the strap to which I can wrap around my backpack. But I'm gonna give Flex a try
I've been looking to buy the flex. Seems like a great buy
Thanks for the review ! I just replaced the Color II with the Flex ! Got 2 of them for $105 each on sale at Costco !
that's an excellent deal!!
Thanks bro, you help me a lot with your videos!
Flex is the best. Revolve + is also great but for more than double the price of the flex I don't believe it's worth it. The flex for 150$ is the best.
Very clear decision you made. Thank you.
I have a question though, can we play music from some other non-blutooth enabled device using 3.5mm jack to USB C convertor on Flex?
Reviews are meant to be short and open, it alk makes sense because this is a comparison. Best decision, Zero regrets👍🏾👍🏾
I have Revolve+ connected on my PC, I had Soundflex Lind, and I had JBL Charger 5. The Bose's sound muffled. The Best is JBL Charger 5
Just bought the Flex today and was considering switching to the Revolve. So glad i saw this video first, you saved me time and $$.
Trust your own ear
So far the youtube reviews on the flex is positive. I am getting one.
3:33 lol why is the speaker facing away from camera?
Very straightforward. Good review even in 2023
Great review Boss!!!
Flex is mind blowing for its size and price
Bose Color II is notorious for charging problems, causing the entire unit to shut down and not charge. Check out you tube videos for reset instructions.
I go with flex best one winner I already have Bose Wave 1998 model awesome
After watching your review I went to Best Buy. Listen to everything they had,, ended up buying the JBL Xtreme 3
I did give the Bose flex a listen and I got to say that the JBL blew it out of the water. Not only that but the Bose flex looks like some old transistor radio that your grandfather had. Maybe that's what they're going for😂
I know this is probably beating a dead horse here but in regards to your reviews of the Bose speakers, I have to say the Bose color 2 may not be as dynamic or “new” as the Bose Flex or other products you’ve reviewed, the Color 2 in my opinion shows significant merit in Durability. I’ve had mine since 2017, and it is used at work 5 days/week on a forklift anywhere from 8 to 16 hours per day in conjunction with a 6AH Milwaukee battery and shows no wear whatsoever. I was surprised how boring you felt it sounded as you have reviewed so many. When I bring my Color 2 out for get-togethers on the weekends I always get interested complimentary praise on how nice it sounds. The only maintenance I’ve had to do to it was clean the USB port with WD-40. The thing won’t die-lol
Anyway although I’m thinking of getting another Bose color 2 for linked stereo, however, your review of the Bose Flex has got me thinking of taking a chance in a different direction.
Thanks for the review, great content.
Yeah I mean there's nothing wrong with it, but just my opinion about what stirs me. I have no doubt that real world experiences like you're sharing are also valid :)
@@DannyPops just picked up the Bose Flex direct from Bose (Factory Renewed) plus additional 10% discount through Rakuten for $99. I’ll give it a try…looks like I’ll be able to pair both Bose to get Stereo maybe according to Bose. Thanks again👍
I think if Bose can change the flex design into big longer n slim n I will go for flex slim ! 😅
I hv tried revolve II n mini n I always amaze of what Bose speaker sounds really clear n great speakers with the look n quality! 6:05
Flex or the portable home smart speaker?
I love my Bose Soundlink Mini II SE
Good and trustworthy review and comments!!
U r 99% right except for the bose micro part. I have nearly all micro portable speaker n i can say nothing.. nothing comes close to the bose micro. although the jbl is cheaper, the bass is nothing compared to the bose micro. The boss micro is the only micro speaker that produces bigger speaker bass. 👍
I have FOUGHT buying Bose for years. The Tribit, Anker Soundcore Flare (paired), Oontz Angled (paired) much cheaper and can be EQd to get close to the sound quality of a Bose mini. But then I tried the Flex, bought one loved it. Read reviews where pairing was an issue, took a chance and they pair fine, PITA when you turn them off, they do not remember stereo pairing.
Sound is superb for the size and cost, really good! Volume is louder than I thought they would be, maxes out on sound quality at about 80-ish%. Paired, plenty loud, no lag time.
$129 per as of 7-26-23.
That was the best review thanks I just bought the Flex speaker 😅
Thank you for dumbing it down for us. Saved me allot of money 😂
Glad I found this video, ordered the Flex in Carmine Red on sale:)
I ordered 2 Bose flex 💪🏼
Hey Danny, first off big fan of your content. Been watching for quite some time. My first Bose product was the micro and I absolutely loved that thing, then I had the revolve and was not impressed. Bose had (has?) a trade in program that I sent in the first Revolve for and I got a pair of the Revolve Plus ll’s due to a shipping error on their end. Also not impressed for the insane $330 retail.. Sounded pretty sharp with Greta Van Fleets ‘Heat Above’ if you placed them against a wall on a counter, but not as good as a $660 pair of speakers should sound.
Now I have the Flex thanks to your recommendation and I don’t see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. You should mention with the Flex how the sound changes when you place it on its back. I think it’s better but it’s certainly more of a classic ‘V’ sound when lying flat.
I know this comments long but one final thing.
I don’t know where your mic is placed but in all the videos with the soundlink color ll it has been facing the wrong way from the viewers perspective. The rear small vent is a bass radiator.
Keep up the great work!
Dude thank you for the detailed feedback and I'm honored you watch my random videos! That's the best feedback on the color, I had no idea! I think people will definitely be able to read your comment and get the additional insight, thats what this is all about!
It’s crazy the sound changes depending on the position. I as well prefer laying it flat down.
No they dont read the comment. Everyone : Spot on Review - best review - like your honest Review….. but what is Test if the best speaker is Turned in the wrong direction. Iam Not a Bose Fan , but the soundlink Color is the best speaker in Terms of fidelity, the others all have a extreme V-Shape. Maybe in the Store or for the average Consumer it Sounds Bettler at First. Yes, the color has also a Heavy loudness but its Not so harsh on the highs. The Sad Truth is that all new Models have only a higher EQ , but at soundquality they get worse if neewer. So your Video States the opposite. Maybe you consider to repeat the Test with all speakers in the Same direction. (Sorry for my english, Not my native Language)
I listened to the entire Bose lineup at BestBuy. These were "fine", but the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $400 had sound an entire level above everything else in the size class. You had to get up to the really large speakers to compete with it. Great sound stage and bass for its size.
Well…come on….that’s like comparing a $700 iPad to a $125 Kindle….and yeah…one is much better…and actually in a totally different class…
…(both still portable just like the speaker you mention)…but the price is totally out of the ballpark for what people are looking to spend on this class of device.
@@zeroceiling Completely agree.
I'm a Bose enthusiast so I'd buy them all
Thank you for clearing my confusion
I just bought the Soundcore mini3 pros and I love them. Depending on how you position them they sound great! Paid $39.99 for 2 at the Anker outlet store
Thanks Danny, you really helped me
Glad I could help
The FLEX IS AMAZING 8 DONT HAVE THE REVOLVE BUT HAVE THE OTHERS THEIR NOT BAS THE TRIBIT STORMBOX MICRO 2 is much better at half the price. The FLEX IS OUTSTANDING. GREAT VIDEO THANKS.
you played the soundlink 2 backwards. the main sound comes from the front of the speaker lol. you were playing it from behind...
I just got the flex. It sounds great!
Thank you sir for this comparison. 👍
Nice video, thanks !